They survived the missile strike, but can’t come home: 8 Indian seafarers stranded abroad after fire destroys documents

A crew member in his mid-20s, who is sharing a room at Khasab Airport with the seven others, told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity that the blaze following the missile strike destroyed almost everything onboard. Between them, he said, only three mobile phones remain, with most personal belongings and documents lost in the fire.

“We lost everything, cash, my gold chain, iPhone, HP laptop, belongings worth around Rs 2–3 lakh. It’s the same for others,” he said, adding, “Only three of us managed to save our phones. When we jumped into the ocean, many lost their phones or they got damaged because they were not water-resistant. Some do not even remember the phone numbers of their family members, so they have been anxious to contact them.”

Recalling the attack, he said the crew member responsible for navigation was the first to notice the incoming missile. “When the first missile hit, the vessel shook and was pushed to one side. When the second missile struck, it was pushed further into the ocean. The two strikes happened within about 15 seconds,” he said.

“I came out of my cabin. I was resting as my shift had ended. At 7.05 am it happened. We started screaming ‘Captain sir, Dalip sir’, asking them to come out as the ship had caught fire.” He said flames spread rapidly across the vessel.

“Around 8 am we jumped into the ocean. A few minutes later, an army boat came to rescue us. They were both trapped in the fire,” he said, referring to Dalip Singh and Ashish Kumar.

The traumatic experience continues to haunt the survivors. “None of us will ever get over it. We inhaled a lot of smoke and took painkillers because we were injured. It at least helps us sleep. We haven’t been able to sleep peacefully since then. It always feels like we may be attacked again from somewhere. I plead with the Government of India to help us return home soon, alive and in good condition,” the crew member said.

Officials from the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) in Mumbai said that since February 28, more than 100 Indian seafarers have returned to India from the Persian Gulf region following a government advisory.

They said there has been no direct communication yet with the management of Sky Light, but they are in touch with the agencies that recruited the crew. “They are small companies and the Indian government is trying everything to work things out with them to bring the eight seafarers back to India,” an official said.

At least six of the eight surviving Indian crew members of Sky Light had been recruited through an agent from SKS. Krishi Marine Services (Opc) Private Limited, based in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Sumit Singh, director of the Lucknow-based agency, confirmed that it had sent six of the eight Indian seafarers to the vessel. Of them, captain Ashish Kumar has died while Dalip Singh remains missing.

“On March 9, we completed the outpass process for six seafarers. The other two are from a different agency. Their passports, visas and other belongings were burnt in the ship after it caught fire following the attack,” Singh said. An outpass is an emergency travel document issued when a passport is lost. It allows a person to legally leave a country when they do not have a valid passport or visa.

“There is a lot of risk right now and the situation is quite grim. As soon as we get the UAE visa, we will book their tickets to India. This will take at least three days,” Singh said. He added that the agency is coordinating with the family of Captain Ashish Kumar so they can travel to Oman for a DNA test to confirm the identity of skeletal remains recovered from the vessel.

“We still do not have clarity on Dalip. We will definitely provide them their salaries, but we also have to see how much compensation we can provide from our end,” Singh told The Indian Express.

Apart from the six surviving crew members whom SKS Krishi Marine Services (Opc) Private Limited is trying to bring back, another crew member onboard from West Bengal, had joined the vessel through Sairam Ship Management Pvt Ltd, based in Panvel in Raigad district of Maharashtra.

An official from Sairam Ship Management Pvt Ltd said the Indian Embassy is arranging his outpass. “Maybe within two or three days he will return to India. We have arranged his stay at the port itself with other seafarers. Once we get his outpass, we will book his ticket,” the official said.

When contacted for comment on the status of the return of the eight seafarers from the Sky Light vessel, a source in the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, said, “The Embassy of India in Oman is assisting all Indian nationals involved in the MV Sky Light incident and remains in touch with the local authorities.”

As first reported by The Indian Express on March 8, India’s maritime regulator has also flagged a possible safety lapse on the vessel Sky Light. In a safety advisory issued on March 6 for Indian seafarers operating in the Persian Gulf and nearby waters, the DG Shipping said that in a recent incident a vessel under attack had crew members trapped inside the accommodation area while fire engulfed it from both sides.

The only possible escape route was through the front portholes, but “there may not have been adequate provisions or equipment available to break the glass panels for emergency escape,” the advisory said.

Although the advisory did not name the vessel, officials confirmed to The Indian Express that it referred to the Sky Light attack.

Sources said captain Kumar was trapped in the master cabin while Dalip Singh was stuck in the accommodation area as flames spread across the vessel, leaving them with no clear escape route except through the portholes. However, there was no equipment available to break them open.

The Indian Express emailed Red Sea Ship Management, the company responsible for managing Sky Light’s operations, seeking comment on the alleged lack of safety equipment onboard, but did not receive a response.